Revolving reversible joint



G. W. HARRIS.

REVOLVING REVERSIBLE JOINT, APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1,1919.

1,363,113. Patented Dec. 21,1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REVOLVING REVERSIBLE JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Application filed June 4, 1919. Serial No. 301,609.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen W. Harms, a citizen of the United States,residing at Liberal, in the county of Seward and State of Kansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Revolving ReversibleJoints, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention comprehends generally improvements in that classof invention 3 known as machine elements and more particularly relatesto a revolving reversible joint.

The principal aim and object of this invention is to provide a device ofthe above mentioned character wherein the construction of the partsforming this oint are novel and designed to be carried upon adjacentends of shaft sections so that upon rotation of one of the shaftsections rotary motion will be imparted to the other shaft section byreason of the peculiar engagement of the coacting heads.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a device of theabove mentioned character wherein the casing for accommodating thecoacting heads serves to prevent accidental disengagement of the headswhile in addition coacting guiding means are mounted on one section ofthe casing and on one of the shaft sections for guiding the swingingmovement of one of the shaft sections relative to the other shaftsection.

Among the other aims and objects of this invention may be recited theprovision of a device of the above mentioned character with a view tocompactness, and wherein the number of parts are comparatively few, theconstruction simple, the cost of production low and the efficiency high.

Other objects, as well as the nature, characteristic features and scopeof this invention will be more readily apparentfrom the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings andpointed out in the claims, forming a part of this specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved joint.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the joint, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

. Similar characters of reference are em ployed in all of the abovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referrlng now, more particularly, to the accompanymg drawings there isprovided a suitable sectional casing designated in its entirety by thenumeral 1 and is of globular cylindrical or other suitable form beingpreferably composed of sections 2 and 3, the section 2 being formed withan integral tubular stem 4 communicating centrally with the interior ofthe section 3 while section 3 is formed with a transverse slot 5 and inaddi t1on 1s formed externally with laterally extending spaced parallelsemi-circular guidmg ribs 6 positioned on opposite sides of the slot 5.In addition the sections are formed at their adjacent or meeting endswith laterally extending annular flanges 7 detachably held togetherthrough the instrumentality of suitable fastening means, such as nut andbolt arrangements 8.

Shaft sections 9 and 10 are now employed and are preferably mountedthrough the tubular stem 4 and-the slot 5, the adjacent ends beingoperably connected with each other by the interengaged coacting headsgenerally designated by the numerals 11 and 12 and respectively formedon the adjacent ends of the sections 9 and 10 and positioned within thecasing 1.

In the present instance the head 11 is preferably ball shaped, althoughits shape may be modified as desired, and is formed at its outer endwith an inwardly extending cylindrical socket or recess 13 the sidewalls of which are formed with a plurality of internal gear teeth. 14,the teeth being arranged longitudinally of the head and spaced inparallel relation with each other. The head 12 is also substantiallyball shaped and is provided with circumferentially arranged and radiallyprojectingteeth 15v on its outer surface, the teeth being preferablyarranged in a common plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis ofthe shaft section 19 and are of course engaged with the teeth 14 so asto insure of the transmission of rotary motion from either of the shaftsections to the other at the time one of the shaft sections is rotated.It also is to be noted that the shaft section 10 is capable of beingoscillated in the slot without effecting the meshing engagement of theteeth 14 and 15. Moreover the teeth 15 are capable of sliding movementwith respect to the teeth 14, that is, the longitudinal movement ispermitted between the sections 9 and 10 Without effecting the meshingengagement of the teeth 14 and 15.

As intimated, suitable coacting means are provided for guiding theoscillatory movement of the shaft section 10. In reducing the featuresof the invention to practice, a slide in the form of an arcuate shoe 16is employed and is formed with a central opening and slidably arrangedabout the shaft section 10. 7 In addition the shoe of course is arrangedbetween the guiding ribs 6 and over the slot 5'. Coacting with the shoein guiding the oscillatory movement of the shaft section 10 is atwo-part yoke 17 the medial portion of which is formed with an openingand with an integral collar 18 which is disposed loosely about the shaftsection 10, the ends of the arms of the. yoke being swingably connectedby suitable. pins 19 to diametrically opposite points on the outersurface of the section 3 ofthe globular casing .1, as indicated in thedrawings. Suitable resilient means such as a coiled spring 20 isarranged about that portion of the shaft section: between the yoke andthe slide and has its respective ends exerting in expansive actionagainst the yoke and the slide 16 so as to effectively maintain theslide in the proper position. A collar' 21 is formed upon the shaftsection 10 and is engaged in a recess in the collar 18.

The head 12 is formed at its inner end with a recess or socket receivingthe spherical. head 22 carried by a shank 23 received within an axialopeningfformed in the ad- ;jacent terminal of the shaft section 9.

'. It is believed in view of the foregoing description that a furtherdetailed descripi being formed with-a tubular stem and the othersectionbeing'provided with a trans verse central slot disposed opposite thestem,

shaft. sections arranged through the stem and slot, the slot permittingof the shaft section engaged therethrough having oscillatory movement,heads formed on the adjacent ends of the shaft sections and arranged inthe casing and means connecting the heads for conjoint rotation andpermitting angular movement thereof.

2. A joint comprising a casing formed with aitransverse.central slot andprovided on its outer face with spaced parallel guide ribs positioned onopposite sides of the slot,

shaft sections arranged in the casing and slot said slot permittingoscillatory movement of the shaft section arranged therethrough,coacting heads forming on the adjacent ends of the shaft sections and p0sitioned within and retained by the casing having meshing and slidingengagement with each other, a yoke pivoted to the slotted casing formedwith a bearing receiving the shaft section arranged through the slot, aguiding shoe slidably mounted on one of the shaft sections and arrangedbetween the ribs of the casing, and resilient means between the yoke andthe shoe for holding the latter in proper position.

3. A joint of the character described including a casing having anelongated slot therein, guides arranged on opposite sides of the slot, aguiding shoe confined between the guides, a yoke having pivotalconnection with the casing and permitting the yoke to swing in thedirection of the longitudinal axis of the slot, a shaft sectionsupported in the yoke and extending through the shoe and into thecasing, a second shaft section arranged in opposed relation to the firstmentioned shaft section and also arranged in the casing, and meansrotatably connecting the shaft sections for conjoint rotation andpermitting angular movement thereof. 1

4. A joint comprising a casing provided with an elongated slot, guidesarranged on opposite sides of the slot, a guiding shoe confined betweenthe guides, a yoke pivotally secured to the casing and arran ed to swingin the direction of the longitudinal axis of the slot, a shaft sectionarranged in the yoke and extending through the guiding shoe into thecasing, a collar on said shaft section engaging the yoke and limitingthe longitudinal movement of the shaft section,

a second shaft section extendin g into the casing, and a shaft jointconnecting the shaft sections. 1. r I 1 5. A joint comprising a casingprovided with an elongated slot, a shoe slidably engaged with the casingand covering the slot therein, a yokepivotally mounted to. swing in thedirection ofthe longitudinal axis of the slot, a shaft section extendingthrough the yoke and shoe and into the casing, a. collar formed on saidshaft and engaging the yoke to limit the longitudinal thrust of theshaft section, a tubular extension formed on the shoe engaging saidcollar and inclosing the shaft, a second shaft section arranged inopposed relation to the first mentioned shaft section and extending intothe casing and means connecting the shaft sections.

6. A joint comprising a casing provided: with an elongated slot, a shoecovering said slot, a yoke pivotally mounted on the casing for movementin the direction of the longitudinal axis of the slot, a shaft sectionextending through the yoke and shoe into the casing, a collar on saidshaft limiting the longitudinal thrust of the section in one direction,a tubular extension formed on the shoe receiving the shaft section andabutting the collar, spring means confined between the yoke and shoe andmaintaining the latter in engagement with the casing, a second shaftsection arranged in opposed relation to the first mentioned shaftsection and extending into the casing, and means connecting said shaftsections.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature hereto.

GEORGE WASHINGTON HARRIS.

Witnesses Gus GRIMSLEY, J. WV. LONGENECKER.

